Fishing-rod.



. T. D. WHISTLER.

FISHING ROD. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T. D. WHISTLER..

FISHING ROD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.18, 1911.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

cuLummA ILANUGRAPH cu., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNTTE STATES ATE T OFFIQE.

THOMAS D. WHISTLER, 0F PIMLICO, LONDON, ENGLAND.

FISHING-ROD.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS DELANO \VrIIsrLnR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 128 Ebury street, Pimlico, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing-Rods, of which the-follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to fishing rods and more particularly to single handed rods such as are used for fly fishing, the chief object being to increase the line throwing capacity of such rods, without increasing their length or weight. In rods of this class as heretofore constructed, the resiliency or bending movement terminates at some point in advance of the rod handle, or in advance of the part of the rod that is gripped by the user, with the result that the said handle or grip portion to the extreme rear end of the butt is practically dead wood and supplies no resilient power which might be utilized for throwing a line.

According to this invention the rod is constructed and arranged in such a manner that its resiliency or bending movement extends from the tip to the extreme end of the butt behind the part of the rod that is gripped by the user. This is efiected by connecting the rod with the handle in such a manner that a two point bearing exists between the rod and handle, one bearing being situated at or toward the extreme rear end of the butt and the other at or toward the front portion of the handle, the intermediate portion of the rod being unsupported. and capable of being bent to any required extent without its bending movement being impeded by the handle.

In order that the said invent-ion may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same is described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which 2- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 an elevation of so much of a fishing rod as is necessary to illustrate the invention. Fig. 3 is an end View of Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is a longitudinal section showing a modified form of bearing applied to the front end of the handle. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section showing a further modified form of bearing applied to the front end of the handle. Fig. 6 is a transverse section takenthrough the front end of the handle showing a resilient bearing interposed between the butt end'and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B131; 25 1913 Application filed March 18, 1911.

Serial No. 615,191.

handle. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section showing a device for adjusting the position ofthe butt end and handle relatively to each other for regulating the position of the front bearing. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section showing a modified connection between the rear end of the butt and the handle. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section showing both ends of the handle and the bearings for the rod.

A represents the butt end of the rod, B the handle, C the front bearing and D the rear bearing. The handle B is fitted upon atube b constructed from any suitable material and having an internal bore that is sufficiently large to permit of the aforesaid bending movement of that portion of the butt end which lies within the handle. This tube also carries the reel fittings such for example as b, 72 In the device shown in Fig. 1, the rear bearing D comprises a bushing that is rigidly fixed in the end of the tube 6. The rear end of the rod is secured within a ferrule a by wiring the split end a the ferrule having an extension a which enters the aforesaid bushing and is secured therein by a screw o The front bearing C comprises a ring that is rigidly. fixed upon the rod A and engages with a socket c that is fixed to the tube 12 or may form a part thereof. In order to prevent the aforesaid ring from interfering with the bending movement of the butt end A, the outer surface of the ring is made spherical ate as shown in Fig. 1. The front or open end of the tube 1) is advantageously closed by a ferrule a made of cork or other suitable material.

In the example shown in Fig. 4, the front bearing C comprises a socket formed with a curved inner surface 0 which engages with a tube rigidly fixed upon the rod A and having a cylindrical outer surface. The bearing C may if desired be formed in a separate piece and be connected with the tube Z) in any suitable manner.

In the .example shown in Fig. 5, the bearing ring C is rotatably mounted upon a sleeve c secured upon the rod A, endwise movement of the ring being prevented by flanges c a formed on the sleeve ,0".

n Fig. 6, the front bearing C comprises a volute spring that is interposed between the rod A and the tube 6, and is capable of partaking of a slight rocking movement when the butt end A is bent.

If desired the front bearing C may be so arranged as to be capable of receiving an axial adjustment in relation to the socket c for the purpose of distributing the wear 5 upon the latter. In the example shown in Fig. 7 for effecting this object a portion of the ferrule a is threaded at a to engage with internal threads in the rear fixed bearing or socket D and is locked in any desired position in relation to such socket by the screw a which enters the extension of the ferrule a, the adjustment being effected by slackening the screw a and turning the handle relatively to the rod which produces a relative endwise movement of the front bearing C and socket.

In some cases it may be more convenient to effect the adjustment of the front bearing C without changing the position of the rod relatively to the handle. This may be carried out in the manner indicated in Fig. 9 in which the front bearing C is slidably mounted upon a sleeve 0 rigidly fixed upon the rod. The bearing C is formed with a tapered extension a threaded on its outer surface to engage with an internally tapered nut c and having a number of slots 0 to enable the extension 0 to grip the sleeve when the nut is tightened upon the extension, rotary movement of the bearing relativelyto the sleeve being conveniently prevented by a pin 0 projecting from the latter into one of the aforesaid slots 0 In this arrangement, when the nut 0 is longitudinally upon the rod and secured in any adjusted position by tightening the nut 0 Instead of the adjustment being effected by hand, it may be arranged to take place automatically during the using of the rod, for example the butt end may be connected with the handle through the intervention of one or more springs arranged to permit of a slight axial movement of the rod when the latter is manipulated for casting or other purposes. An arrangement of this kind is also illustrated in Fig. 9, and comprises two springs a a mounted upon an extension a of the ferrule aon opposite sides of the rear bearing I) and maintained in a state of compression by an adjusting screw a The bearing D projects from a bushing d that is rigidly fixed within the tube 6 and in the example shown the inner surface of such bearing is made of curved formation so as not to interfere with the bending movement of the rod. A cap 6 screwed onto the end of the bushing (Z prevents access of dirt to the interior of the handle.

Another form of rear bearing provided with spherical engaging surfaces is illustrated in Fig. 8, and comprises a bushing D rigidly fixed within the tube 6, and a 65 cap D adapted to be screwed into such slackened, the bearing C can be displaced.

tube against or into proximity to the adjacent face of the bushing D, the inner surfaces of the cap and bushing together constituting a concave spherical bearing surface. The inner member of the bearing comprises a spherical ring D that is placed upon a reduced extension a of the ferrule a and is secured upon such extension by a screw (0 this operation of course being effected before the cap D is screwed into the tube 5.

If desired the cap and bushing may be formed with conical bearing surfaces instead of the spherical bearing surfaces, previously referred to.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle and a bearing for the butt at each end of the handle, the bearing at the front end comprising on one part aspherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, to permit of a bending and sliding movement of the butt within the handle.

2. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle and rigidly connected with said handle at its rear end, and a bearing at the front end comprising on one part a spherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, to permit of a bending and sliding movement of the butt within the handle.

3. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle and movably connected with said handle at its rear end, and a bearing at the front end comprising on one part a spherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, to permit of a bending and sliding movement of the butt within the handle.

at. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle and resiliently connected with said handle at its rear end, and a bearing at the front end comprising on one part a spherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, to permit of a bending and sliding movement of the butt within the handle.

5. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle, a support for the butt at the rear end of the handle, and a bearing at the front end comprising a spherical surface on the butt and a cylindrical surface inside the handle within which the spherical surface slides in contact.

6. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle, a bearing for the butt at each end of the handle, the bearing at the front end comprising on one part a spherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, and means by which the normal position of the sliding contact may be altered.

7. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle, a support for the rear end of the handle, a cylindrical bearing surface inside the front end of the handle, a bearing piece on the butt having a spherical surface in sliding contact with the said cylindrical surface and means for longitudinally adjusting the position of the said bearing piece upon the butt.

8. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle, a support for the rear end of the handle, a cylindrical bearing surface inside the front end of the handle, a bearing piece on the butt havinga spherical surface in sliding contact with the cylindrical surface, a split and screw-thread- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ed tapered extension on the said bearing pliece and a nut screwing on the said extension and securing the bearing piece in adjustable position on the butt.

9. In a fishing rod, a hollow handle, a butt located within said handle, a bearing for the butt at the front end of the handle comprising on one part a spherical surface and on the other a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with each other, and a sliding bearing for the rear end of the butt having a resilient abutment on each side to limit the relative movement of the parts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS D. WHISTLER.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. SKERTEN, T. SELBY WARDLE.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of .Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

